The Cradle Robber
by Paulankadaman
Summary: Stacey would do anything to be with Sam. Including going to a boarding school near NYU...


Stacey sighed. Why was it so hard to find the right guy? No, she wasn't talking about the right guy to marry or whatever, but at least he right guy to stay with? Yeah, Sam had been great, but he had gone to college last year, needing to leave a sixteen year old Stacey behind.

If only she could have been born two years earlier. If she had, she could have joined Sam in New York. You know, New York didn't seem so bad now. It actually seemed kinda better than Stoneybrook. Given the chance, Stacey would rather live there than Stoneybrook now.

She stopped herself. What was she thinking? She could live back in New York. Only, her dad was married again. To a woman named Cherry. A whore. They wouldn't want her around while they did whatever it was they did.

But Stacey longed to be with Sam. She would do anything. So she looked through the yellow pages to find the number of a boarding school near NYU. She prayed that there was one. Ah ha! There it was. "Cheryl Lee's school for girls."

It looked impressive. And hard to get into. But she would, if it meant being with Sam again.

To remind herself of why she loved him so much, she pulled a letter out of her pocket. The first one he had written to her since going to college.

"Stacey, I miss you so much. I really just want to wrap my arms around your waist and dance close to you, like I did that one night under the stars, the night before I left…"

Stacey's eyes drifted to the words at the very bottom of the page. Written in Sam's bold writing, they said something truly amazing.

_I love you._

Stacey ran through the rain to a huge building. Part of the NYU campus. More specifically, a dorm building in NYU. Sam's dorm building. She hadn't told him she was coming, and she hoped it was all right that she was there. What if he had given up 'Cradle robbing'? Maybe he had a new girlfriend, a polished and gorgeous college girl. What if she opened the door, and there he was, with another girl?

Stacey crossed her fingers as she took the stairs two-by-two, to the fourth floor. She rubbed her fake rabbit's foot as she walked down the hallway. And she held her four-leaf clover as she knocked on door fifty-five, his door.

A girl opened the door! Stacey heart dropped at the sight of her, a slim brunette with piercing emerald eyes and high cheekbones. Stacey said, "Um, do I have the wrong dorm? I was, um, looking for Sam Thomas?"

The girl laughed. "Oh, this is his dorm. Sam's a dear. I know him quite well, you see." At this, Stacey almost said "Wouldn't you?", but before she did, the girl continued, "I'm Jade Green, and I'm his roommate's girlfriend."

Stacey felt a burst of hope. "So, you guys aren't, you know, an item?"

Jade laughed, her voice sounding like bells. "Of course not. Sam's a dear, but he's not exactly my type."

Stacey laughed back. "Oh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Stacey. I come from Stoneybrook."

Jade's mouth fell open in surprise. "You're Stacey? Sam talks about you all the time. Bobby, my boyfriend, is always trying to fix him up with somebody, and he's always talking about how he still has you. You know, Stacey, you've got a really devoted guy."

Suddenly, a voice came from the back of the room. "Jade? Bobby's going to be late. Something about some stunt he pulled in class. We're supposed to meet him in the cafe-"

Sam's voice stopped when his face appeared and he saw Stacey, soaking wet, standing in front of his door. He looked disbelieving for a moment, but soon a smile appeared on his face and ran forward, grapping Stacey by her waist and lifting her up to his face level, which was quite high for her, as he was, by now, over six feet, and she was still petite enough, at five foot five. He swung her around in a full circle before setting her down gently on the floor. Stacey put her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, loving the feel of his lips next to hers.

Their special moment was interrupted by Jade, who looked a little ashamed for ruining the moment, but nevertheless reminded them that her boyfriend was waiting in the cafeteria to have dinner with them.

Sam smiled at Stacey, melting her heart. "Up for some dining?"

"As long as it's with you," she said taking his hand.


End file.
